The automotive industry, driven by growing demand for electric vehicles (EVs), software-defined vehicles (SDVs) and even autonomous vehicles (AVs), is a big catalyst for change in several component areas. These include AI chips, processors for security and safety, batteries, motors, power management ICs (PMICs), LiDAR, sensors, LEDs, connectors and the list goes on and on. Shifts in electrical/electronic architectures are also a big contributor to these innovations.
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In the September/October issue, we look at the evolving automotive industry and the enabling technologies that are solving the industry’s biggest challenges as it shifts toward SDVs, EVs and AVs.
Automotive is driving the next generation of technologies, and a good part of this is due to the adoption of EVs and AVs. Enabling technologies, including semiconductors, AI chips, batteries and motors, are evolving to drive further adoption of EVs and AVs, according to IDTechEx analysts. Particularly for AVs, higher-performance computing combined with new AI technologies is needed, while EVs are driving improvements in batteries and motors. IDTechEx reports two major drivers for this new interest in cutting-edge technologies from the foundries and chip designers: autonomous driving and SDVs.
Addressing the challenges of developing a charging infrastructure and the need for more charging options is also expected to drive further EV adoption. A lack of EV charging infrastructure and at-home charging options are hindering EV purchases, reported Gopal Mitra, industrial segment leader at OmniOn Power. Now that concerns such as range anxiety, the safety of EVs and interoperability of chargers with vehicles have largely been addressed, the new concern is the availability of a charging infrastructure, he said.
However, Mitra noted that with the lack of EV charging infrastructure, obstacles remain, including the availability of charging stations, the time required to charge EVs and the lack of access to home charging options. He believes greater access to next-generation EV chargers with reliable high-capacity power supplies at their core is critical to reducing charging station downtime, and the future sustainability of the EV market will require developing standardized charging solutions that are both efficient and cost-effective.
The automotive industry is increasingly moving toward SDVs, and power management will be a huge challenge. The power supply for every component in SDVs raises challenges in SDVs that require sophisticated solutions, according to Jean-Philippe Meunier, ADAS and central compute product line manager for advanced power systems at NXP Semiconductors. “Every electronic component in a modern vehicle has its own requirements for voltage and power, and deviations from these requirements could result in failure, with potentially disastrous repercussions,” he said.
Meunier said that next-generation SDVs are hugely complex, with thousands of components and sensors that must be carefully managed. PMICs can manage all of these functions, including monitoring, safety and diagnostic controls, and are a critical consideration for achieving efficiencies and opportunities for differentiation, he said.
Another trend is the move to 48-V automotive systems. Madison Eaker, systems engineer for automotive body electronics and lighting systems at Texas Instruments Inc., explains that while 48-V automotive systems offer many benefits, there are challenges, and automakers will need to decide how to make the shift to maximize benefits and reduce costs.
Eaker discusses why there is renewed interest in 48-V automotive systems, which might have to do with the growing popularity of both battery-electric vehicles and hybrid vehicles. One of the benefits for electric or hybrid vehicles by adding a 48-V low-voltage rail is the reduction in the gauge of the wire harness that supplies the power throughout the vehicle and reduces the load-current requirements of downstream semiconductor components, she said, opening up opportunities to add new features.
Automotive safety is also a huge challenge, and contributing writer Stefano Lovati reports how LiDAR, radar and cameras work together to meet increasingly higher safety standards and offer an enhanced driving experience. He said the real power of this trio of technologies is their ability to work together seamlessly. Radar provides long-range detection and speed information, while LiDAR offers precise object location and classification and cameras interpret the visual scene, adding context to the data collected by the other sensors.
The security of automotive systems is a growing concern as well, resulting in an increased focus on secure processors tailored for automotive applications, Lovati said. They enhance security by incorporating security features directly into the hardware, making it more difficult for attackers to penetrate these systems. These secure processors incorporate security features either at the hardware or software level to mitigate the risk of cyberattacks.
Advances continue for LEDs and LED drivers for automotive applications. Many of the latest developments focus on miniaturization, higher integration to save space and deliver sleeker designs, greater power savings and improvements in brightness and color control.
Don’t miss the product roundup on connectors and cables. Over the past year, interconnect manufacturers have focused on ruggedizing their connectors and cable assemblies while making them smaller and delivering more options for greater design flexibility.
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